IPL 2026: Dinesh Karthik praises Virat Kohli's ability to reinvent

RCB batting coach Dinesh Karthik praised Virat Kohli for his ability to reinvent himself and keep up with the pace of modern T20 cricket. He highlighted Kohli's consistency, methodical approach to practice, and his impressive form in IPL 2026.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik praised legendary batter Virat Kohli ahead of the team's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 fixture against Delhi Capitals on Monday. Karthilk hailed Kohli for rediscovering his form every passing year and keeping up with the pace of the format while playing in the IPL.

Virat Kohli has fallen short of the 400-run mark in an IPL season only twice--once in 2017 and again in 2022. In the current season, he has already scored 328 runs in seven innings, maintaining an impressive average of 54.66 and a strike rate of 163.18.

'He rediscovers himself every year'

Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against DC, Karthik praised Kohli for his ability to continually reinvent himself each year and stay competitive in modern T20 cricket. He highlighted that despite the game's increasing pace and the rise of players with extremely high strike rates, Kohli consistently adapts and delivers match-winning performances, making his long-term consistency and evolution especially remarkable. "Credit to him, that man constantly rediscovers with every passing year. And for him to keep up with the pace of this game, and some of the newer players are batting at insane strike rates, and he is going shoulder to shoulder with them and producing match-winning performances. So I marvel at how he rediscovers himself every year, almost," Karthik said.

A methodical approach to greatness

Karthik said that Kohli is highly methodical in his approach, regularly reviewing his performances and setting a clear improvement plan each year. He added that Kohli is disciplined and persistent in sticking to his process, not just during matches but also in training, where he constantly evaluates and refines his game. "That man goes back every year, and he is assessing what he has done. And he almost comes with a very stubborn plan about how he wants to go about it. And he gets it done not on match days alone but the way he practises as well. And he has a method to how he goes about it and he's constantly checking himself in practise," he said.

'A learning experience for any young boy'

Karthik noted that young players are fortunate to observe Kohli closely in training, as it offers a valuable learning experience even without playing time. He highlighted that Kohli's seriousness, structured approach and clear planning in practice make him an excellent example for developing cricketers to learn from. "And there are certain days he'll bat more, certain days he'll bat less. And he has so much experience. And it's quite amazing and a learning experience for any young boy watching. As a young player, when you watch somebody like Virat Kohli practise, I think it is, first of all, they're lucky, and at the same time, it is such a learning experience even though they've not got game time. Looking at somebody like Virat Kohli closely and seeing how serious he is about his practise and how he has a plan when he does practise," Karthik said.

RCB's position in the tournament

Defending champions RCB are currently placed second on the points table with 10 points, and will be looking to further strengthen their position as the tournament progresses. (ANI)

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